The New Zealand Defence Force is holding public meetings within the north west Auckland area to assist members of the public gain any additional information needed to prepare written submissions. Written submissions must be received by 16 January 2004.
Meetings have been held in Whenuapai, Hobsonville and Herald Island. Further meetings are planned for Greenhithe, Paremoremo, Greenfield and other North Shore locations. Meetings are being advertised through community newspapers.
At each meeting, Peter Bollmann, NZDF Director of Property Rationalisation gives an overview of the consultation process, the disposal options available to government and the evaluation criteria to be used in making a recommendation to government. He provides information on the Whenuapai base and the timeframe for consolidation of the air force at Ohakea. The focus of the meeting is to assist the public in making submissions on the preferred future use of the base.
Copies of the discussion document which forms the basis for the NZDF presentation at the meetings are available through local libraries and on this website.
The following is a brief summary of meetings held in Whenuapai, Hobsonville and Herald Island.
- Whenuapai Ratepayers Hall
11 November 2003
Attendance: approximately 110
Focus: the submission, recommendation and decision-making process, implications of a civilian airport and loss of the air force base, retention of current benefits of the base, need for ongoing economic activity in the area.
- Hobsonville - Wings Conference Centre
19 November 2003
Attendance: approximately 70
Focus: need for a credible and transparent submission process, need for community access to relevant reports and additional information, concerns over the disposal process for Hobsonville base, implications of a civilian airport, desire to keep Whenuapai as a military base.
- Herald Island Ratepayers Hall
24 November 2003
Meeting arranged by Herald Island Ratepayer’s Association with invited speakers: NZDF, John Key, Dail Jones, Whenuapai Action Group. Herald Island Ratepayer purpose: “to assist community to make a successful submission”.
Attendance: approximately 160
NZDF (Peter Bollmann) presented information on the submission process, the disposal options available to government and the evaluation criteria. Keys, Jones and Whenuapai Action Group presented information and research against a civilian airport.
Focus: potential viability of a civilian airport, need for potential airport company to advise on implications for community, submission analysis and evaluation process, and criteria for determining favoured options. Cabinet to make final decision.